Dennis McCrary began his distinguished law enforcement career in 1974 as a patrol officer with the Mecklenburg County Police Department. Over the course of his career, he advanced through the ranks and served in nearly every area of the department, including Patrol, Investigations, Communications, Personnel and Training, Internal Affairs, and Lake Enforcement.

At the time of the consolidation of the Mecklenburg County Police Department and Charlotte Police Department, Dennis held the rank of Captain and was assigned to Internal Affairs. He was later promoted to Major and continued serving in numerous leadership assignments within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department until his retirement in 2003. Following retirement, Dennis continued his service as a Major with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Reserves until 2012. During this period, he was also called upon twice to serve as Interim Chief of Police for the Monroe Police Department.

A native of Lexington, North Carolina, Dennis earned an Associate Degree in Police Science from Davidson County Community College and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Police Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is also a graduate of the University of Louisville Southern Police Institute Administrative Officers Course.

Dennis joined Charlotte-Mecklenburg FOP Lodge #9 in the mid-1970s and has devoted decades to serving the Fraternal Order of Police at the local, state, and national levels. Within Lodge #9, he has held numerous leadership positions, including four years as Treasurer and four years as Vice President. At the North Carolina State Lodge, Dennis has served as Trustee, Treasurer, and Vice President, in addition to serving on numerous local, state, and national FOP committees.

Dennis currently represents North Carolina as its National Trustee, having been reelected in 2026 to an extraordinary 10th term in that position. His decades of continued service and the confidence repeatedly placed in him by North Carolina's FOP membership reflect his experience, institutional knowledge, and longstanding commitment to the Order.

At the national level, Dennis also serves as Chairman of the National FOP Disaster Relief Committee, helping coordinate the FOP's response and assistance to members and law enforcement families affected by disasters across the country. He also serves on the NCFOP Foundation Study Committee, contributing his extensive experience to the review and study of matters involving the Foundation and its future.

With more than five decades of involvement in law enforcement and the Fraternal Order of Police, Dennis McCrary continues to be a dedicated advocate for North Carolina's FOP members and a respected leader within the Order nationwide.